Process for obtaining a beer flavoring

ABSTRACT

Beer flavoring substances are obtained from the yeast containing dregs obtained in brewing, preferably by fractional distillation or solvent extraction. The flavoring substance consists of an oil having an intensive odor and a density at 20*C ranging from about 0.85 to 0.89 and is soluble in an 80 percent ethyl alcohol solution in all ratios. The flavoring substance or an alcohol solution of the same is added to various foods and beverages.

Unit ed States Patent 1191 Ziegler 1 Jan. 30,1973

[541 PROCESS FOR OBTAINING A BEER 3,526,509 9 1970 Yamada et al. ..99/30LA N 2,364,060 12/1944 Ditto et al. ..99 97 3,212,902 10/1965 Bavisotto..99/9 [76] Inventor: Erich Ziegler, D-855l Aufsess/Ofr.,

Bavaria Germany Primary Examiner-Morris O. Wolk 22 Filed: Dec. 31 1970ASSiSMIlZ Examiner-Stephen B. Davis Attorney-Harness, Dickey & Pierce[21] Appl. No.: 103,102

1 [57] ABSTRACT [52] U.S. Cl. .Q ..99/28, 99/22, 99/31, Beer flavoringsubstances are obtained from the yeast 99/53,99/97, 99/140R containingdregs obtained in brewing, preferably by [51'] Int. Cl. ..A23l 1/26fractional distillation or solvent extraction The l 5 1 w f Search 99/353 2 9 22 140 R, ing substance consists of anoil having an intensive99/5, 9 7- odor and a density at 20C ranging from about 0.85 to 0.89 andis soluble in an 80 percent ethyl alcohol solu- 56 f I 1 tion in allratios. The flavoring substance or an alcohol 1 rencescl l solution ofthe same is'added to various foods and UNITED STATES PATENTS beverages.

2,273,853 2 /1942 Fischer ..99/31 18 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure drink.

1 PROCESS FOR OBTAINING A BEER FLAVORING BACKGROUND, OF THE INVENTIONBeer is obtainedby the known brewing process and is j as a rule obtainedas' an alcoholic drink of high calorie content. In nranycases,"f 'rexample when the consumers are drivers of vehicles, the alcohol contentis undesired. so-called malt beer has therefore been 7 manufactured, inwhich the malt wort is only fermented very briefly, in order to achievethe typical beer flavor.

By doing this, the alcohol content can be kept low, for example at orbelow 1 percent or l.5 percent. Apart from the slight alcohol contentstill present malt beer is howeverv rich in calories and is, therefore,in many cases, unsuitable for consumption as a thirst-quenching composesuch a beer flavoring by mixing various SUMMARY OF INVENTION Theinvention is based on the discovery that the beer yeast waste productsaresubstantially richer in flavoring materials than the beer itself. Theflavoring substances are formed during the'manufacture of the beer,primarily during the fermentation process, and pass, in considerableconcentration, into the waste products.

In one aspect, therefore, the invention consists of a process forobtaining beer flavoring substances, which comprises separatingfromyeast-containing waste products which are obtained in brewing beer atleast part of their content of beer flavoring substances.

In other aspects, it consists in beer flavoring materials which havebeen separated fromsuch yeast-containing waste products, and in articlesof food and drink, especially but not exclusively malt beer and softdrinks, to which such flavoring substances have been added.

. The flavoring substances obtained in accordance with theinvention areidentical with the flavoring substances of the completely brewed beer,and therefore ideally fulfill the set requirements with respect totaste. This even extends to the point that the flavoring substancesobtained according to the invention are dif- DESCRIPTION OF THEPREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawing, the manufacture ofis to say, caused togerminate partially. The malted barle'y is thencrushed (2), and after addition 'of water (WA) is mashed (3), that is tosay, it is heated in certain stages and subsequently boiled. Theso-called grain (GR) floats on the mashed liquid and is strained off(4), after which it can be further processed as animal fodder. I-Iops(HO) are added to the wort (W0) freed of the grain, which is then boiled(5), and subsequently cooled (6). The product is an alcohol-free maltwort (MW), which can find a special novel use in conjunction with theinvention, as is explained below.

In the normal manufacture of beer, yeast is added to the malt wort,either pure culture yeast (PY) or brewers yeast (BY) which is obtainedfrom the sub" sequent fermentation process. The malt wort treated withyeast ferments (7) to give the new beer (NB). Further brewers yeast isproduced in the course of the fermentation, and can be reused forfermentation of another batch. The manufacture of so-called malt beer(MB) of low alcohol content involves prematurely stopping thefermentation process (7). In the normal manufacture of beer, that is tosay when the fermentation process is taken to completion, the brewersyeast settles and is separated from the fully fermented liquid, which isstored as new beer (NB). On storage (8), suspended matter in thenew beersettles and the liquid is then decanted therefrom as finished beer (BI),while the sediment remains as so-called dregs (DR). These dregs are awaste product in known processes for the manufactureof beer, which hasnot been utilized. However, it has now been found to contain manyflavoring substances produced in the preceding fermentation, andaccording to the invention, they are separated from these dregs. Forthis purpose, the dregs may be heated in a still (9) until such of itsconstituents as are more volatile than water have passed over as adistillate. The residues (RE are alcohol-free and contain water. Theycan be dried and used as animal fodder. or fertilizer. Such use hasheretofore been out of the question for the dregs, because theycontained alcohol and were rich in flavoring substances, which forexample made usage as animal fodder impossible.

The distillate (D1)] is collected in a two-layer absorber (10),containing an aqueous solution (A2) as'a the upper layer. The paraffinoil or other neutral oil may be of any type commercially available andis ferentiated by fine shades of taste, depending on the beer brewingprocess from which they have been obtained.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING v preferably of a boiling range thatfacilitates subsequent recovery of the flavor substance from the oillayer by fractional distillation under vacuum.

Theo'ily flavoring substances are absorbed by the oily absorption layer,while thealcoholremains in the aqueous layer. To flavor theconcentration of the flavoring substances inthe oil layer, the aqueouslayer is appropriately a highly concentrated solution (SW) of sodiumchlorideor any-other inorganic salt or. compound, such-for example asacetic acid, which:

1. is water-soluble, 2. gives the, aqueous solution a higher specificgraviy Q I. I 3'. is chemically'and physically inert to the flavoringsubstances, and Y Y used directlyfor flavoring, but are preferablydiluted (12), as by addition of pure'alcohol (AL), to give a flavoringsolution (FSO)..The flavoring obtained following the distillationprocess (11) is a beer flavoring,

that is to say a flavoring having the tasteof beer, which isoutstandingly suitable for use as the taste basis for foodstuffs andbeverages, to which it is added.

As has already been mentioned,the beer flavoring thus obtained showsshades of taste, which are specific to the brewing process (1) to (8),and are the same as those found in the finished beer (BI). Thus, theinvention makes it possible to flavor foodstuffs and beverages with abeer flavor, in which the shades of taste match those of thebeer, byflavoring the particular foodstuffs or beverages with those flavoringsubstances which are manufactured from the same production sequence asthe particular beer. This makes it possible, to manufacture. a range offoodstuffs and beverages, including beer which all have a beertaste,which i additionally possess particularly consistent specific shades oftaste. Such a range of foodstuffs and beverages may, for example,include chewing gum, bakery-products, soft drinks and the like. v

The invention also makes it possible to manufacture a malt beer free ofany alcohol content.

In the known manufacture of malt beer, the malt wort is fermented (7) soas to develop the desired beer flavoring substances in the malt wort.The fermentation is howeverstopped prematurely in order to keep the al-vcohol-content as low as possible. The resultis a malt beer of lowalcohol content .which has a beer taste which many consumers find dullbecause it is not intensive. The dullness is due to the fact that only asmall amount of the flavoring substances can form during the shortfermentation process.

The invention comprises also a differentpath for the manufacture of amaltdrink which is alcohol-free or of low alcohol content. Theproduction of an alcohol-free malt drink starts from the malt wortobtained following the cooling process'(6), which is alcohol-freebecause it is as yet unfermented. To this malt wort is added (13)distillate FS obtained at (11) or flavoring solution (FSO) obtainedafter dilution (12). (The low alcohol content of the flavoring solution(FSO) is of no importance as regards the assessment as an alcohol-freedrink ;of the maltdrink (MD) produced by mixing it with the maltbeer,-because this amount of alcohol is negligible in the finished rnaltdrink.)-lf, on the other hand, a malt drink of low alcohol content isrequired, the distillateFS or solution FSO is added to a malt beer oflow alcohol content, produced by a short fermentation as alreadydescribed, It is noteworthy that in contrast to the known manufacture ofmalt beer,v the flavoring can be madev as strong as is desired, byadding an appropriate amount-of flavoring, so that a dull flavor canalways be avoided. If a consistent taste is desired, the flavoringsubstances can be those which have. been wort used, in accordance withthe schematic representation in the drawing. It is, on the other hand,equally possible to add beer flavoring which originates from a differentproduction and, therefore, possesses other shades of taste, and so toachieve new taste combinations. I

In some cases, a beer flavoring is not required at the location wherethe dregs or other waste products arise,

while, in other cases, the equipment required for obtaining the beerflavoring according to the invention is not available. in these'andsimilar cases, the dregs can be, stored for subsequent extraction of theflavoring. Since they are initially very voluminous because of theirhigh water content, it is advisable in such cases to dry the dregs bypressing (14). It is found that when this is done,-the flavoringsubstances largely remain in the pressed residue. The dregs dried inthis way occupy considerably less volume and can, for example, bepressed into cubes (l5), and stored or transported to a distillationinstallation some distance away. For the distillation (9), the dry dregswill then first be remoistened (16). From there onwards, they can befurther treated as at 9, as previously described.

. The distillation process.(9) and the subsequent abof a valve, and isconnected, via a syphon pipeline open at itsfree end,'to'an absorptionvessel provided with an opening at the top, but otherwise closed. Theabsorption vessel contains as a lower layer, a concentratedaqueous'solution of. sodium chloride, and as an upper layer, paraffinoil.The aqueous layer can be cooled by cooling coils. An outletpipeline, which can be closed by means of a vessel valve, is provided atthe bottom of the absorptionvessel.

For the distillation, a charge of dregs is introduced into thedistillation vessel, so that the latter is about half full. Thedistillation is continued until essentially all volatile constituentshave passed into the absorption liquids. The distillate consistsessentially of oily flavoringsubstances and of alcohol. The alcoholmixes with the sodium chloride solution, while the oil containing theflavoring substancesis dissolved in the paraffln oil layer. The residuesof the dregs, which are free from alcoho'l, are run out ofthedistillation vesselv by opening the appropriate valve. Similarly thesodium chloride solution containingalcoholis run out of the absorption Ivessel by opening the valveprovided for the purpose. In

' obtained from the same starting substances as the malt this way, theparaffin oil layer containing the flavoring is separated fromall otherconstituents. The flavoring can then be obtained from the paraffin oillayerby fractional distillation (1 1).

Whiiethe'in've ntion has been described with particular reference to theseparationv of the flavoring materials from the dregs by distillation,this can also be done trated beer flavoring oil obtained as describedabove may be dissolved,.for example in ethyl alcohol. Such a solutionpermits more accurate and easier dosing than the oil itself.

The chemical composition of the beer flavoring substance extracted fromthe dregs in accordance with the process comprising the presentinvention is very complex comprising a mixture of a variety of differentsubstances. Analyses made by gas chromatography and mass spectroscopyreveals such flavoring substances or oils as containing the followinggroups of chemical compounds: alcohols, esters, carbonic acids, carbonylcompounds and hydrocarbons. Generally, the beer flavoring substancerecovered in accordance with the practice of the present invention issimilar to those beer flavoring substances present in conventional beerwhich are well known in the art and have been described in varioustechnical publications.

conventionally, the beer flavoring substance or oil has a density at 20C. usually ranging between about 0.85 and 0.89. The oil is soluble in an80 percent ethyl alcohol solution in all ratios. The oil isconventionally of a dark brown color and has an intensive odor. Theprocess as herein described is applicable for recovering such flavoringsubstances from any one of the well known varieties of yeasts employedin beer fermentation processes including those as described in Die Hefen(Yeasts), Volumes 1 and 2, 1960, Neurnberg, Germany.

While it will be apparent that the invention herein disclosed is wellcalculated to achieve the benefits and advantages as hereinabove setforth, it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible tomodification, variation and change without departing from the spiritthereof.

What is claimed is:

1. Process for obtaining beer flavoring substances, which comprisesseparating from yeast-containing waste products which are obtained inbrewing beer at least part of their content of beer flavoringsubstances, said substances consisting essentially of an oil having anintensive odor and a density at 20C. ranging from about 0.85 to about0.89, said oil further characterized as being soluble in an 80 percentethyl alcohol solution in all ratios.

2. Process according to claim 1, wherein the beer flavoring substancesare separated from the waste products by fractional distillation.

3. Process according to claim 1, wherein the beer flavoring substancesare separated from the waste products by solvent extraction.

4. Process according to claim 2, wherein the beer flavoring substancesare separated by fractional distillation from the dregs, while thelatter are in the state of high water content in which they areseparated from the new beer.

5. Process according to claim 2, wherein the dregs, in the state of highwater content in which they are separated from the new beer, are pressedto remove a large part of their water content, and further water isadded before the flavoring substances are removed from the dregs bydistillation.

6. Process according to claim 2, wherein the fractional distillation iscontinued until substantially all constituents more volatile than waterhave been transferred to the distillate, the distillation is thenstopped,

and the distillate is collected in an absorption liquid consisting of atleast two layers, one aqueous and the other oily, in which the flavoringsubstances are separated from alcohol.

7. Process according to claim 6, wherein the aqueous layer contains awater-soluble substance which "increases its specific gravity, ischemically inert towards the flavoring substances, and is harmless forhuman consumption.

8. Process according to claim 7, wherein the said water-solublesubstance is sodium chloride.

9. Process according to claim 6, wherein the oily layer containingflavoring substances is separated from the aqueous layer by decantation,and the flavoring substances are separated therefrom by fractionaldistillation.

10. Process according to claim 9, wherein the oily residue from thefrictional distillation of the oily layer is re-used as absorptionliquid.

1 1. Process according to claim 3, wherein paraffin oil is used as theextracting solvent, and the beer flavoring substances are separated fromthe extract by fractional distillation in vacuo.

12. Process according to claim 9, wherein the final distillatecomprising the beer flavoring substances is diluted with alcohol to givea ready-to-use solution.

13. Process according to claim 11, wherein the final distillatecomprising the beer flavoring substance is diluted with alcohol to givea ready-to-use solution.

14. Foods and beverages containing beer flavoring substances which havebeen obtained from waste products obtained in brewing beer, saidflavoring substances consisting essentially of an oil having anintensive odor and a density at 20C. ranging from about 0.85 to about0.89 said oil further characterized as being soluble in an percent ethylalcohol solution in all ratios.

15. Foods and beverages containing beer flavoring substances which havebeen obtained by fractional distillation from the yeast-containing dregsproduced in brewing, said substances consisting essentially of an oilhaving an intensive odor and a density at 20C. ranging from about 0.85to about 0.89, said oil further characterized as being soluble in an 80percent ethyl alcohol solution in all ratios.

16. Foods and beverages containing beer flavoring substances which havebeen obtained by solvent extraction from the yeast-containing dregsproduced in brewing, said substances consisting essentially of an oilhaving an intensive odor and a density at 20C. ranging from about 0.85to about 0.89, said oil further characterized as being soluble in an 80percent ethyl alcohol solution in all ratios.

17. Beverages according to claim 14, having a low or zero alcoholcontent.

18. A beverage according to claim 17, being a malt beer of low or zeroalcohol content.

1. Process for obtaining beer flavoring substances, which comprisesseparating from yeast-containing waste products which are obtained inbrewing beer at least part of their content of beer flavoringsubstances, said substances consisting essentially of an oil having anintensive odor and a density at 20*C. ranging from about 0.85 to about0.89, said oil further characterized as being soluble in an 80 percentethyl alcohol solution in all ratios.
 2. Process according to claim 1,wherein the beer flavoring substances are separated from the wasteproducts by fractional distillation.
 3. Process according to claim 1,wherein the beer flavoring substances are separated from the wasteproducts by solvent extraction.
 4. Process according to claim 2, whereinthe beer flavoring substances are separated by fractional distillationfrom the dregs, while the latter are in the state of high water contentin which they are separated from the new beer.
 5. Process according toclaim 2, wherein the dregs, in the state of high water content in whichthey are separated from the new beer, are pressed to remove a large partof their water content, and further water is added before the flavoringsubstances are removed from the dregs by distillation.
 6. Processaccording to claim 2, wherein the fractional distillation is continueduntil substantially all constituents more volatile than water have beentransferred to the distillate, the distillation is then stopped, and thedistillate is collected in an absorption liquid consisting of at leasttwo layers, one aqueous and the other oily, in which the flavoringsubstances are separated from alcohol.
 7. Process according to claim 6,wherein the aqueous layer contains a water-soluble substance whichincreases its specific gravity, is chemically inert towards theflavoring substances, and is harmless for human consumption.
 8. Processaccording to claim 7, wherein the said water-soluble substance is sodiumchloride.
 9. Process according to claim 6, wherein the oily layercontaining flavoring substances is separated from the aqueous layer bydecantation, and the flavoring substances are separated therefrom byfractional distillation.
 10. Process according to claim 9, wherein theoily residue from the frictional distillation of the oily layer isre-used as absorption liquid.
 11. Process according to claim 3, whereinparaffin oil is used as the extracting solvent, and the beer flavoringsubstances are separated from the extract by fractional distillation invacuo.
 12. Process according to claim 9, wherein the final distillatecomprising the beer flavoring substances is diluted with alcohol to givea ready-to-use solution.
 13. Process according to claim 11, wherein thefinal distillate comprising the beer flavoring substance is diluted withalcohol to give a ready-to-use solution.
 14. Foods and beveragescontaining beer flavoring substances which have been obtained from wasteproducts obtained in brewing beer, said flavoring substances consistingessentially of an oil having an intensive odor and a density at 20*C.ranging from about 0.85 to about 0.89 said oil further characterized asbeing soluble in an 80 percent ethyl alcohol solution in all ratios. 15.Foods and beverages containing beer flavoring substances which have beenobtained by fractional distillation from the yeast-containing dregsproduced in brewing, said substances consisting essentially of an oilhaving an intensive odor and a density at 20*C. ranging from about 0.85to about 0.89, said oil further characterized as being soluble in an 80percent ethyl alcohol solution in all ratios.
 16. Foods and beveragescontaining beer flavoring substances which have been obtained by solventextraction From the yeast-containing dregs produced in brewing, saidsubstances consisting essentially of an oil having an intensive odor anda density at 20*C. ranging from about 0.85 to about 0.89, said oilfurther characterized as being soluble in an 80 percent ethyl alcoholsolution in all ratios.
 17. Beverages according to claim 14, having alow or zero alcohol content.